News 

The first of these key strategic releases is Windows Live Photo Gallery - a new version of the photo application found in Windows Vista (and now available for Windows XP). It introduces some new features, such as an automatic Panorama maker, as well as simplifying photo sharing on Windows Live Spaces - Microsoft's social-networking platform.

This brings it in line with Apple's iPhoto application, which is capable of uploading to the company's .Mac online service. In a move that could potentially go one better, Microsoft has also said it's open to adding support for other photo-sharing sites such as Yahoo's Flickr, although common protocols and standards will need establishing first.

The second element, Windows Live Folders, will provide up to 500MB of online storage, although only in the US for now, and on a limited basis. Microsoft will monitor its usage during the test period and possibly add more

ADVERTISEMENT

capacity if needed. For now at least, Live Folders is being sold as a way in which documents can be more easily shared, rather than as a full online-backup option.

The company already offers a suite of online services including email and web search under its Windows Live brand. Chris Jones, Microsoft's corporate vice president, said the company will unveil the next wave of services later this year, but its goal will be to stitch together the currently disparate Windows Live services and offer a more unified experience.

"Soon we'll begin to offer a single installer, which will give customers the option of an all-in-one download for the full Windows Live suite of services instead of the separate installation experience you see today," said Jones in a posting on Microsoft's website.

With its already dominant software user base, Microsoft is clearly hoping its "software plus services" will further attract consumers to its internet-based services - offering greater integration with it's 'offline' applications (such as Office) in a way that its rivals currently don't achieve.

While Google is widely rumoured to be working on an online storage service, the company itself has remained silent on the issue. However, Google already offers a variety of services that include large amounts of free data storage, including Gmail and Docs & Spreadsheets.

The test version of Live Photo Gallery is expected to be available in the UK soon, when we'll bring you a full rundown of its prospects.